Machine for mounting seals on bale straps



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. E. HENDRIXSON, JR., ETAL MACHINE FOR MOUNTING SEALSON BALE STRAPS v ILiillnll Nov. 29, 1949 Filed Nov. 3, 1944 CO%ENTORS w.15 By M d. VW

c. E. HENDRIXSON, JR., EI'AL 2,489,377

MACHINE FOR MOUNTING SEALS 0N BALE STRAPS Npv. 29, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Nov. 3, 1944 v vllllllllfllllllllllllf m INVENTORS Patented Nov.29, 1949 v NITED MACHINE FOR-MOUNTING, SEALS: oN

i BALE STEAPVSA V.

Charles l-I endrixson, Nitro, Va., and Charles W. Cox, United StatesArmy,-assignors to American Viscose Corporation, 1, DeL, a corporationof Delaware Wilmington,

Application November 3, 1944," Serial No. 561,790

This invention relates to a device for supplying a tying or bindingstrap or band, such as is used for baling fibers and securing packagesin gen-v eral, with a seal while cutting the band to length toprepare'the band for subsequent application to packages. y 1

In the past, it has been general practice for the seal to be applied'tothe strap manually at the time of binding. When so operating-it has beenfound that seals occasionally fall accidentally into the mass of fibersto be baled and this creates a fire hazard when the fibers are laterintroduced into opening and processing machines.

The present invention has as its object to prepare binding bands bysupplying themwvith seals before they'are-brought to the baling'pressstations, and to so associate the seal and band that the former cannotcome ofi and become lost. Further objects and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the drawing and the description thereofhereinafter. V, Figure -1 Ba prespective view, awayto illustrateinterior parts; 7 Figure 2 is a plan View;

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on line III-e; IIIoiFigure 2; x -7Figure 4 is an end view, partiall in section; Figure 5-is a section online V,-V of Figure 2; Figure 6 is a cross-section on line VI-VI ofFigure 2; and v Figure '7 is a perspective'view of a" band with sealapplied in accordance-with the invention. The device of the invention issupported on an elongated table or platform 2 which in turn is supportedin any conventional manner above'the floor by means not shown. A bandBwhich may be supplied by a reel not shown is drawn to the table byfeeding rolls '3 and 4. The upper roll 4 is spring-pressed to form a hipwith the lower roll 3 which is driven by a belt 5, which in turn drivenby a motor (not-shown). This arrangement permits slipping of the rollswith respect-to partially broken the.band when sufficientlengthhas beenfed into thedevice. 1

'- ThebanBpasses through the-entrancelig ideway 3 between the-jaws ofthe cutting and to m ing device generally zgindicated at {i ;and;; thenpasses in a way 8 formed between a bed 9 and an overhanging beam ormember H), which as shown, may be cut away toformthe slot8 which is open:at one side throughout'its' length. The way 8 is a continuation ofguidewayjfi, and the communicating passage through device] between thecut- -ting and formingzejaws-ethere'or mayralso be con .sideredracontinuation:thereofe f: 11.3 i:

azine. r

and

4 Claims. (01. -73) --The' device 1 comprises a stationary framewhoseside walls It support an upright seal magazine I2. Spring arms l3are secured to the walls .11 so that they reach under oppositesides ofthe magazine and releasably support the seals -,5 thereabove, thebottommost being in a position such that the band B passes through itschannel passage from the guideway 6. The end walls. I4 are slotted at IEto provide passage for the band, and these slots are open to the side ofthe device viewed in Figure 1. Also, the wall II which appears in Figure1 is arranged so that it does not obstruct removal of the completed bandby lateral sliding thereof from the way 8. Two movable die blocks I6 andIl are arranged for vertical reciprocation in the spaces providedbetween side walls ,rnagazine housing i2, and end walls I4, apivotallyconnected yoke l8 operated by the rod l9 being provided toeifect the reciprocation at the proper instant of time.

A spring 20 (see Figure 3) has a projection reaching into slot l5and-co-operating with the side-walls of'guideway 6 to assure that theband passes through the bottommost seal in themag- --Die blocks l6 andi1 have forming portions 2| which co-operate with a recess or depression22in the bed23 to bend or crimp the band at spaced points 24 of itslength (see Figure '7) to form an offset portion 25 therein. A cut 26 inthe recess 22 receives the seal S when crimping is effected. The dieblock [1 contains a replaceable knife or cutter 21 which co-operateswith the shearing plates or anvils 28. The cutting dies 21 and 28 are soshaped as to leave a rounded out at the lagging end of the band to whichthe seal is applied and also to the leading end of the band extendingfrom the rolls 3 and 4. The cutting device'is open below the members 28and a receptacle may be disposed therebelow to catch the waste cuttings.

piston'30 secured to rod I9, conduits 3| andv32, valve 33 foralternately directing compressed air. from conduit 34 (connected to anair supply not shown) to conduits 3| and 32. A solenoid 35 connected inseries with an AC power supply 36 and a normally open switch 31 operateson a magnetic core 38in opposition to the spring 39 to vmove-the valve33 and admit air above the piston 30. The switch 31 (see Figure 5)comprises a pivotally mounted finger 40 of conductive ma- .terial whichis attached to an arm 4| which nor- ;mally depends ;,througha, recess-42in thee-beam 3 l into the Way 8 so that it will be in the way of theband B at a predetermined distance from the cutter blade 27. As shown inFigure 4, the arm 4| may fan out so that band B cannot miss it. Arm 4!]or 4| is preferably of spring material so it will flex as band B slidesunderarm 4].

An arrangement for ejecting the completed band is provided and comprisesa trigger 43 which is pivotally mounted on the bracket 44 carried by rodI9, so that on its down stroke the trigger merely rides over past theend of lever 45 which fulcrums at 46, whereas on the upstroke of rod 19,trigger 43 turns lever 45 in a clockwise direction (see Figure 4). Thiscauses downward motion of connecting rod 41 and rocking of the shaft 48through arm 49. Shaft 48 carries a plurality of levers 50 which bearagainst plungers 5| extending into transverse bores 52 which intersectthe.

way 8. Rocking of the shaft 48 causes the plungers to move deeper intotheir bores 52 against the springs 53 and ejects the band B from the way8. It may drop to the floor or to a receptacle.

Summarizing the operation of the device briefly, rolls 3 and 4 feed theband B through guideway 6 between the jaws of the press '1 into the way8. As it passes the press 1, the band passes through the bottom seal inthe magazine l2. When a predetermined length is fed, the band itselfcloses switch 31 which raises the core 38 upward with the valve anddirects air into the cylinder '29 above the piston 30. This causes theyoke l8 through rod [9 to press the die blocks l6 and H downward whichbends the band at 24 and cuts it between 2! and 28. tion of the bandpulls the seal past the spring arms or clips l3, so that the next sealdrops into position to receive the next band. In addition, the bendingof the band at 24 causes it to again open switch 31 which de-energizessolenoid 35 and allows spring 39 to move valve 33 to the position shownin Figure 4 admitting air beneath piston 30, thus lifting yoke [8 withthe dies and bringing trigger 43 into operative engagement with lever45, which causes rock shaft 48 to forceplungers SE to eject the finishedband. Until the die blocks I6 and I I are lifted and the finished bandis ejected, the rolls 3 and 4 slip with respect to the band B, but afterejection, the process repeats itself automatically.

The length of band can be varied merely by changing the relativeposition of switch 37 and the cutting dies 21 and 28.

The prepared bale strap is applied to a package while held underpressure in the baling apparatus in such a manner that the seal is heldout of contact with the package by the offset crimped portion of theband and the free end of the band is inserted under the seal, the springaction of the crimped offset portion providing enough friction to keepthe seal from slipping. Any conventional fastening tool may be used tosecure the free end of the band in place'under the seal, such as bycrimping the seal against the band. After fastening the band and releaseof the bale from the baling press, the bale expands and the band becomestaut, so that it tends to straighten out the crimped offset portion, the

extent of straightening depending upon the relation between the amountof slack originally present before release of the bale and the amount ofexpansion of the bale that occurs.

Among the advantages of the present invention are the following: Thecrimping of the band adjacent each side of the applied seal permits theThe downward mo- 4 use of a standard band and standard seal. It is notnecessary, therefore, to use specially designed seals and bands toprevent disconnection of the seal from the band and accidental loss ofseals. Because the crimped section of the band holds the seal in place,the prepared bands are complete, ready for fastening, and the hands ofthe operator are free to manipulate the tools, so that he can morefllCl6I1t1y carry out the fastening operation. The band is infinitelyadjustable as the free end is threaded through the seal, the springeffect created by the crimped section making it possible to locate theseal in any position relative to the free end of the band. The crimpedoffset section is of a definite predetermined length which is the samefor each band, so that uniform overlapping of the free ends is obtained.This is desirable for good holding of the seals and minimizes errors ofjudgement on the part of the operator who fastens the band, therebyavoiding the difiiculties that arise from variable lengths of bands orvariable circumferential lengths as fastened, which would eitherconstrict the bale too much and take an undue share of the load, orallow the bale to bulge at places, makin it awkward to stack the balesin shipment or storage.

It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

We claim:

1. In combination, a guideway, a magazine for a plurality ofsuperimposed seals, a depression in the guideway below the magazine andreciprocable deforming die means adjacent the magazine arranged toco-operate with the depression for deforming a band extending throughthe guide way and bottommost seal in the magazine, said magazinecomprising spring members extending around opposite sides thereof sothat the bottommost seal rests thereon with its channel in substantialalignment with the guideway and is releasable therefrom during deformingof the band.

2. In combination, a guideway, a magazine for a plurality ofsuperimposed seals, a depression in the guideway below the magazine andreciprocable deforming die means adjacent the magazine arranged toco-operate with the depression for deforming a band extending throughthe guideway and the bottommost seal in the magazine, cutting meansarranged in advance of the deforming die means and magazine, saidmagazine comprising spring members extending around opposite sidesthereof so that the bottommost seal rests thereon with its channel insubstantial alignment with the guideway and is releasable therefromduring deforming and cutting of the band.

3. In combination, guide means having a guideway therein, a recess inthe guideway extending transversely thereof, means for feeding a bandlongitudinally in the guideway past the recess, means along the guidewayopposite the recess for releasably supporting a seal with its channel insubstantial alignment with the guideway, spaced die means opposite therecess adjacent both ends of the supporting means in the direction oftravel of the band in the guideway, means for reciprocating the diemeans toward and from the recess, said die means comprising both formingand cutting elements, the cutting elements being disposed in advance ofthe recess with ref erence to the direction of travel of the bandthrough the guideway, the guideway and recess being open alon one sideof the path of travel of the band to permit lateral ejection of the bandfrom the guide means, reciprocable ejector means on the other side ofthe guideway, and means for moving the ejector means into the guidewayto eject a hand after the die means is released from the band.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which a common reciprocable drivingmember is provided to operate both the die means and the ejector means,and the operating connection provided between the driving member and theejector means actuates the ejector means during the return stroke of thedie means.

CHARLES E. HENDRIXSON, JR. CHARLES W. COX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

